Vegetarian lasagna with mushrooms

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 800 g mushrooms
• 2 carrots
• 1 zucchini
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 jar of tomatoes, pureed, approx. 680 g
• 1 can of tomatoes, peeled, approx. 400 g
• ½ liter of water
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp paprika powder, hot
• 1 shot of red wine vinegar or red wine
• 1 tsp pepper
• 30 g butter
• 30 g flour
• 600 ml milk
• 1 pinch(s) nutmeg, freshly grated
• 600 g cheese, grated
• 16 sheets of lasagna
• ½ tsp smoked paprika powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 50 minutes

for a casserole dish

It’s important to first chop the mushrooms finely, preferably with a food processor. Spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rest for at least 1 hour. They will begin to brown slightly, which is what you want. 10 minutes before the end of the waiting time, chop the vegetables. I prefer to dice everything. Sauté the chopped onions in a pan or pot. Sauté the mushrooms until crisp. Be careful, they will absorb water first and, as they continue to cook, will take on a consistency similar to minced meat. Then press in the garlic and fry. Add the carrots and zucchini. Sauté everything briefly. Caramelize the sugar in the center of the pot (push the fried food to the side). Add the tomato paste and mix everything well. Deglaze with vinegar or red wine. Add the passata and chopped canned tomatoes, and add about 1/2 liter of water. Stir in all the spices and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). For the béchamel sauce, slowly melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour and pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Add the grated nutmeg. Heat slowly until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Set aside. Mine only thickened slightly. Season the tomato sauce to taste. Remove the bay leaves and set aside. Layer the lasagna. First, spread a little tomato sauce in a baking dish (to prevent the pasta from sticking), then add the lasagna sheets, tomato sauce, béchamel sauce, and cheese. Bake the lasagna in a hot oven on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, until the desired degree of browning is achieved.